DEVELOPMENTAL RESEARCH PROJECT PROGRAM SUMMARY The goal of the Developmental Research Project Program of the Maine INBRE (ME-INBRE) is to support the research and career development of exceptional INBRE-affiliated faculty who are engaged in biomedical research and research training in comparative functional genomics. Faculty will be selected on a competitive basis, via review by the ME-INBRE External Advisory Committee (EAC), from applicants who respond to Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOA) distributed within the ME-INBRE network. This program has two specific aims. The first is to provide Investigator awards for Research Projects. Selected Investigators will be expected to devote 50% effort to their project, actively engage scientific advisors and implement individualized development plans, mentor students and/or postdoctoral fellows, submit quarterly progress reports, publish in peer-reviewed journals, present at national and/or international meetings, and participate in INBRE-sponsored workshops. Investigators at research institutions will also be expected to apply for independent R01-level research funding by the end of the second year of funding. Investigator appointments will be renewed annually for up to 3 years contingent on review of progress by the ME-INBRE Principal Investigator (PI), Program Coordinator (PC), Steering Committee and EAC, with the possibility of competitive renewal for up to 2 additional years. The second aim of the program is to provide Research Training Faculty awards for Pilot Projects at undergraduate institutions led by faculty researchers who have demonstrated an ability to effectively engage students in cutting-edge research in comparative functional genomics involving computational biology and/or bioinformatics. Research Training Faculty will devote 15-25% effort to their project, actively engage scientific advisors and implement individualized development plans, engage students in research, submit quarterly progress reports, present at regional and/or national meetings, submit the results for publication in peer-reviewed journals, and participate in INBRE-sponsored workshops. Research Training Faculty will build biomedical research capacity by providing high-level opportunities for student research and training at undergraduate partner institutions. For both aims, emphasis will be placed on mentorship (both of faculty and their students and trainees) and evaluation. Successful implementation of the two aims of the Developmental Research Projects Program will be facilitated by annual evaluations of the EAC and assessed by a final summative evaluation carried out by the PI, PC, EAC, Evaluation Coordinator, and an AAAS review panel.